Reps Panel Screens NDDC Board, Management Today

The House of Representatives will today screen nominees to the Board and management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

This followed a letter of request from the Presidency to the House of Representatives, which was read on the floor of the green chamber by deputy speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who presided over Tuesday’s plenary.

The screening takes place barely after the Senate, the upper chamber of the National Assembly screened the same nominees.

LEADERSHIP reports that the House, the lower chamber of the National Assembly quarreled over the screening of the nominees by the Senate without adequate consultation with them as provided by the NDDC Act.

Consequently, President Bola Tinubu wrote the House requesting the confirmation of the nominees for the appointment.

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Therefore, the House set up an ad-hoc committee to conduct the screening of the nominees which comprised Hon. Julius Ihonvbere (house leader), Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims (deputy leader), Hon. Kingsley Chinda (minority leader) and Hon. Ali Isa (deputy minority leader).

Others are Hon. Usman Bello Kumo (chief whip), Hon. Oriyomi Onanuga (deputy chief whip), Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu (chairperson, House Committee on NDDC) and Hon. Jafaru Leko (deputy chairman, House Committee on NDDC).

According to a statement jointly signed by Hon. Ibori-Suenu, chairperson, House Committee on NDDC, and Hon. Akin Rotimi, Jr. house spokesman, the nominees include: Mr. Chiedu Ebie, chairman (Delta); Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, managing director/CEO (Bayelsa); Mr. Boma Iyaye, ED, finance and Admin (Rivers); Mr. Victor Antai, ED, Projects (Akwa Ibom); Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, ED, corporate services (Ondo); Senator Dimaro Denyanbofa (Bayelsa); Mr. Abasi Ndikan Nkono (Akwa Ibom); Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya (Delta); Chief Tony Okocha State (Rivers); and Hon. Patrick Aisowieren (Edo).

Also to be screened are; Mr. Kyrian Uchegbu State (Imo); Hon. Otitio Atikase (Ondo); Chief Dimgba Eruba (Abia); Rt. Hon Orok Otu Duke (Cross River); Hon. Nick Wende (North Central); Hon. Namdas Abdulrazak (North East); and Senator Dr. Ibrahim Gobir (North West).

“It would be recalled that the Senate screened and cleared the nominees on October 4, 2023. This move by the House complements the legislative action by the Senate, and is pursuant to Sections 2 (2) (a) of the NDDC Act (2000), which prescribes that the presidential nominees must be screened and approved by the Senate in consultation with the House of Representatives.

“The House is thus working in concert with the Senate to fulfill the provisions of the extant law,” the statement further reads.